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WHERE IS MY FOSSE SEPTIQUE?


juliap
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We have been renovating a house in the Auvergne and thought we'd actually finished all the work this summer when we discovered that at least one of the loos was draining diretcly into the stream that runs along the rear of the property.  We spent 2 days unblocking a  pipe leading into the stream and then several hours collecting all the delightful 'sewerage' that poured out! The plumber that we had been using was away on holiday and we have only just managed to get hold of him again via email. He has said he that all houses in this part of the region drain directly into the stream!!!!!! We have asked him to try to find out where the fosse septique is but, so far, have had no response. I am returning, just for a few days, on 20 October and do need to try to get to the bottom of this, Could it be possible that there is no fosse septque at all? The house ws built only about 30 years ago, actually as 2 gites, but we have combined them into one single property. We can't find where the other toilet, which is downstairs, drains into and couldn't; see anything coming into the stream from that one, but are really worried about what to do next. How do we find out where the fosse septqie is, if indeed it is there?  How much would it cost to have one installed? Where does it go? We have no cellar but there is plenty of outside space to put one.


Sorry if Im sounding naive here - we very confused!!

 

Julia

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You may well not have one. Perhaps the other toilet runs into a tranche septique (which you will need to have emptied every so often). This should be findable by a manhole cover, probably quite close to the house.

If you do have a fosse septique and there are no manhole covers visible you may have to find out where the 2nd toilet waste exits the house and excavate along the pipeline until you find the tank. Or whatever is now containing the doo-doos. Should be fun.

As to cost, we paid about £3500 for a 3-bedroom tank about 6 years ago, but there has been a recent thread on fossess septiques which discussed up-to-date prices - we got ours in just before the rules changed, and it would have cost us more later. It is just outside the back door - no reason to put them at a great distance.

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We had difficulty locating our fosse septic tank as the previous owner just showed on a sketch where the grease tank was situated outside the downstairs bathroom door.  He had put plant pots across the driveway to make sure vehicles didnt drive over the pipe system. As we wanted to put up a fence across the driveway, we went to the maires' office and they had lots of diagrams and paperwork relating to the installation some 6 yrs previous.  However when the SARL wanted a technician to inspect it, we made an appointment with them and they came on the right day and time and he explained that the actual filtration system was way down the field, about 40 metres away.  This was sort of shown on the diagrams from the maires' installation but we thought it was just an inspection hatch and didnt realise that the 5m x 6m filtration was so far away from the house.  When we asked if we could plough over the top of the filtration system he was a bit undecided so we shall play safe and just rotovate it (or put pigs over it)!  My advice is to ask at the maires office first
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Hi, when we bought our house, the seller told us all about the new fosse septique he'd fitted. It lived in one of the barns.

After a couple of years and having decided to build outwards into said barn, we investigated it a bit more carefully. It consisted of a 1000 litre catchment tank, and a concrete cast spiral gravel filter.  Only toilet waste went into it, the grey water emptied into the local hedge bottom.OK for one old lady, but hopeless for a family, or a couple and friends.

It did tend to smell a bit in hot weather too.

We had a new Tous Eaux one fitted and filled in the old one.

Spongebob

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>>>... we discovered that at least one of the loos was draining diretcly into the stream that runs along the rear of the property.  ...... The plumber that we had been using ..... has said ... that all houses in this part of the region drain directly into the stream!!!!!! .... Could it be possible that there is no fosse septque at all? ... How do we find out where the fosse septqie is, ....  How much would it cost to have one installed? Where does it go? We have no cellar but there is plenty of outside space to put one.<<<

I know of a gite where I stayed with some friends many years ago, in Chateauponsac (87) which had no such commodity as a 'fosse sceptique' ! It was situated on the edge of the Gartempe, literally the back wall of the house was the bank of the river.

As we'd arrived late that evening we didn't 'inspect'. Not until the next morning when my friend's husband was 'inspecting' his little kingdom for the week, whilst I was getting the kids ready for the day, that he noticed all the dirty water from the sinks, showers, washing machine etc... AND the loos ... all went straight into the Gartempe!...

The 'host' was boasting that there was excellent fishing and big salmon to be had.....

Your lot could well all end up in to what is known as a 'puisard' just a very deep well for the purpose of...

If you install a sceptic tank : avoid the 'onion' shape Klargester type. We had one installed some 20 years ago and it has never worked as supposed to. It is now giving up the ghost. It needs constant looking at and emptying which (as the man says : 'It's cheap and there's not VAT on shat!) All the effluent out of the tank goes into a very long labyrinth/zigzag of underground filtering pipes, all gravity fed to the river some 100 yards further.

Being once proud owners of 5 septic tanks (all the many cottages that were on the farm) we have learnt that old technology is perhaps best. We are now looking into putting an 'old fashion' tank and bottom quote so far £7000 ...

Not far from here we have a 'reed bed' sewage station. It seems to work OK. With all the reeds growing and wildlife in and around, you wouldn't know it's a sewage station.... Maybe something you could enquire to install. Visit the Centre for Alternative Technology website for more info on it.
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Thanks everyone for yoru comments. I have now emailed the Mairie and will, hoepfully, get a reply ( I managed to get one when emailing them re our new yellow bin!) and will see whether they have any details of our plans for plumbing/drains etc. Failing that, I tink I will have to try to find a new plumber who knows what they're doing!!
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  • 11 months later...
we just fitted a klargester waste treatment system to our house that backs onto the river, with a reed bed filter from the same company and recommend them - this then discharges clean water into the river to the delight of our mairie - if anyone would like to visit please dont hesitate to contact me or see their website at www.klar-environnement.com (the contact form is in english and they replied ok)
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When we bought our house, it came with the plans of the whole fosse system.

 However, the vendor explained to us that when the drainage part was being built the route was altered .The installers considered that (because of the slope of the field ) it would drain away better with their suggested route. It's not very different from the original, but it's certainly not the same as the plans which the Marie holds!

Just thought you should know that the plans may not be quite as accurate as you are expecting!

I intend to build a small fence across the route of our pipes- are they completely plastic ???( just thought a metal detector could come in handy if there were any metal bits involved!!)

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